“The problem of microplastics is important for the entire World Ocean, but it takes on particular relevance in the Arctic. In 2019, as part of the Arctic Floating University International Scientific and Educational Expedition, a study was conducted on the content of microplastics in the Arctic Ocean. The results showed that microplastics are present even in the Barents Sea, which is far from any economic industrial centres,” said Nikolay Korchunov, Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials and Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Korchunov said this problem poses the greatest danger to people living in the region, including the Indigenous People of the North, whose key trade is fishing.

“Environmental protection and climate change issues in the Arctic region have not vanished from the current agenda. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is ready to assist in every possible way with establishing and developing a dialogue between Russian scientists and their foreign colleagues. In this case, this doesn’t just include member countries of the Arctic Council. We remain open to dialogue with the Council’s observer states on ways to ensure environmental security in the region. At the same time, we are developing cooperation with scientists and experts from non-Arctic states since environmental issues in the Arctic are global in nature,” he said.

In 2017 alone, the world produced some 350 million tonnes of plastics, and this figure will increase to almost 1 billion tonnes by 2050, said Yelena Zlenko, Deputy Chair of the Federation Council’s Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management. The water layer of the world’s oceans have already been polluted with more than 5 trillion microplastic particles. Roughly half of all plastic is lighter than water, which makes it easier for it to move to the surface of the water and spread around the planet. Due to the peculiarities of ocean currents, Zlenko said that the Arctic, the Arctic Ocean, and the Barents Sea may become a place where plastic accumulates.

Source: https://arctic-council-russia.ru/en/news/izmenenie_klimata_i_ekologiya_arktiki/problemu_mikroplastika_v_arktike_obsudili_uchastniki_konferentsii_v_arkhangelske/.